Support means for cathode ray tube gun assembly



Aug. 11, 1964 c. H. TYSON ETAL 3,144,577

SUPPORT MEANS FOR CATHODE RAY TUBE sun ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 24, 1961 27 22 Flt; 1

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INVENTORS can: ff. f/JO/V c 2' BY GZENA/ umsr United States Patent 3,144,577 SUPPORT MEANS FUR CATHQDE RAY TUBE GUN ASSEMBLY Charles H. Tyson, Warminster, and Glenn Werst, Perkasie,

Pa, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Philco Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Delaware Filed 0st. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 147,271 7 Claims. (Cl. 313-256) This invention relates generally to cathode ray tubes, and more particularly to improvements in cathode ray tube gun assemblies. The invention, while applicable in its broader aspect to cathode ray tubes generally, will be described and illustrated in relation to constricted neck tubes, where it has special utility.

More specifically the invention has to do with improvements in cathode ray tube gun assemblies of the type disclosed and claimed in the co-pending applications of Samuel H. Boreman, Serial No. 146,952, filed October 23, 1961, and John W. Snyder Serial No. 147,270, filed October 24, 1961, both assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The present invention has in common with the reference disclosures the general objective of providing 1 a novel electron gun structure permitting reduction in dimensions of the neck of a cathode ray tube through a unique arrangement of insulating and support structure.

It is a further general objective of this invention to facilitate highly accurate assembly of the elements of an electron gun structure in a minimum of space.

Still another objective of the invention is to provide a simplified and improved assembly of axially aligned, tubular electrode elements of a cathode ray tube gun structure, and further to provide a rapid, economical, and highly accurate assembly of the parts in the desired rigid predetermined alignment and in the necessary insulated spaced relation.

In accordance with the foregoing and other objectives, and in common with the apparatus of said copending disclosures the invention is characterized by provision of an electrically insulative hollow ceramic cylinder within which electrode elements of the gun structure are disposed. The present invention is especially characterized in that the ceramic cylinder includes transversely extending apertures corresponding to location of points of fixation of the electrode elements to the former, and generally U-shaped resilient stud elements are so disposed within the apertures that their loop portions are in supporting engagement with the electrode elements and their leg portions resiliently engage side wall portions of the apertures.

This novel means for supporting the electrode elements is particularly advantageous when considered in light of the fact that an aperture in the ceramic cylinder need not provide a close size match with a U-shaped resilient stud element. Moreover, tolerances capable of being maintained in fabrication of ceramic elements of this type are not conducive to providing a uniform close size match between supporting elements and the aperture, and this problem is readily overcome by the invention. The only requirement is that the cross-section presented by the supporting stud element be greater than the upper tolerance of the diameter of the receiving aperture.

The foregoing as well as other objects and advantages of the invention will best be understood upon consideration of the following description taken in light of the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an enlarged elevational showing, partly in section and with parts broken away, of a cathode ray tube embodying gun structure made in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a further enlarged fragmentary showing, partly in section, of the gun structure shown in FIGURE 1 and illustrating also techniques utilized in assembling ice same and characteristic of the invention in its method aspect;

FIGURE 3 is a yet further enlarged elevational view looking in the direction of arrows 33 as applied to FIGURE 1 and illustrating structural features of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a detailed sectional showing of a mounted U-shaped stud element, the view being taken generally along the line 44 as applied to FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective showing of a stud element, prior to insertion in an aperture.

With more particular reference to the drawing, and first to FIGURE 1, cathode ray tube 10 includes a generally cylindrical neck portion 11 having a flat end portion 12 through which extend electrically conductive terminal pins 13.

Gun structure 14 is disposed within neck portion 11 and is supported from the left and right hand pins 13. The gun structure comprises the conventional combined cathode sleeve electrode and heater elements (not shown) disposed within an electrode element comprising cylindrical control grid 16. Control grid 16 is attached to the insulative cylinder of tubular member 17 and provides for support of the gun structure from the pins 13. Cylinder 1'7 is made of an electrically insulative ceramic material, and is positioned in such manner that its lower end portion partially encloses control grid 16. A portion of ceramic cylinder 17 has been broken away to show generally the spacing of grids 16, 2t), 21 and of the anode 22, as re spects one another, and their concentric positioning within and attachment to the cylinder. Anode 22 includes getter ring structure 27 and snubber elements 28, the latter resiliently engaging the interior conductive surface 29 of tube It).

Support of the grid and anode elements within ceramic cylinder 17 is provided, in particular accordance with the invention, by generally U-shaped resilient stud elements 23 having, as best seen in FIGURES 2 and 4, loop por tions 24 attached to the electrode elements and leg portions 25 disposed in frictional, wedging engagement with walls of apertures 26 that extend transversely through the ceramic cylinder.

As illustrated in both FIGURES 1 and 2, electrical connections of the electrode elements are made to the pin means by ribbon-like lead wire elements 31 which are formed integrally with stud elements 23.

It will be seen from FIGURE 1 that apertures 26 are spaced approximately 180 apart and cooperate with stud elements 23 to provide support for each electrode element. However, it will be understood that the invention is limited neither to the precise number shown nor to the illustrated spacing of supporting stud elements. For example, apertures 26 may be positioned apart whereby to provide a 3-point support for each electrode element.

From a consideration of FIGURE 5 it might be said that each of the generally U-shaped studs 23 has the configuration of a generally cup shaped thirnble from which oppositely disposed lateral wall sections have been removed to leave a generally spherical loop portion 24 and somewhat cylindrical, divergent side wall or leg portions 2.5. Conveniently, the studs may be stamped and bent up from ribbon stock of a suitable metal, such for example as hard stainless steel bearing the American Iron and Steel Institute designation No. 305. Metal of this type has been found to exhibit the desirable permanent resilience and frictional holding qualities required to hold the electrode elements permanently in place.

With respect to the manner of assembling the gun structure, the component elements are arranged first, for example, according to the showing of electrode elements 20 and 21 in FIGURE 2. Stud elements 23 then are inserted into the apertures so that the loop portions 24 engage the electrode elements and the curved leg portions 25 are distorted from the broken line to the full line showings of FIGURE 4, and are resiliently urged frictionally to engage the curved side walls of the apertures 26. With the stud elements 23 so positioned mild'pressure is exerted on each loop portion 24 of said elements by means of a resistance welding electrode 30 and a suitable current is passed between the stud element 23 and the adjacent electrode element to Weld the same together. Thus afiixed to the electrode elements, stud elements 23 will friction ally engage the walls of the apertures 26 through which they extend whereby the attached electrode elements are accurately and permanently supported.

Welding electrode 30 and its circuitry are conventional and are shown only diagrammatically in FIGURE 2 as comprising a voltage source L, an energizing switch S, transformer means T, and the lead Wire connections required to effect the welding current flow.

In the assembly of the gun structure, each of the stud elements 23 may be Welded in a separate operation or they may be welded simultaneously while the cylindrical electrode and the ceramic cylinder are supported by suitable mandrel structure 29 in their desired spaced relation.

From the above description it will be appreciated that the invention achieves simplified and improved assembly of axially aligned, spaced tubular electrode elements in a cathode ray tube gun structure. Moreover, the invention overcomes problems encountered due to the difliculty of economically maintaining dimensional tolerances in ceramic components.

While only a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that modifications can be made as contemplated by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In electron gun structure: an electrically insulative hollow ceramic cylinder having relatively small apertures extending transversely through the cylinder Walls; electrode elements disposed Within said cylinder; and generally U-shaped resilient stud elements including leg portions flexed toward one another, extending into said apertures, and engaged by wall portions of the latter, loop portions of said stud elements being disposed in supporting engagement with said electrode elements and the flexure of said leg portions of said stud elements being maintained by engagement thereof with side wall portions of said apertures, whereby to provide frictional support for said electrode elements.

2. In electron gun structure: an electrically insulative hollow ceramic cylinder having relatively small apertures extending transversely through the cylinder walls; electrode elements disposed withinrsaid cylinder in spaced relation with respect to the walls thereof and spaced along the axis thereof; and generally U-shaped resilient stud elements including leg portions flexed toward one another,

extending into said apertures, and engaged by wall portions of the latter, loop portions of said stud elements being disposed in supporting engagement with said electrode elements and said leg portions of said stud elements being maintained flexed by engagement thereof with side wall portions of said apertures, whereby to provide frictional support for said electrode elements.

3. In electron gun structure: an electrically insulative tubular member having relatively small apertures extending transversely through wall portions of the member; electrode elements disposed within said tubular member; and generally U-shaped resilient stud elements having leg portions flexed toward one another, loop portions of said stud elements being disposed in supporting engagement with said electrode elements and leg portion of said stud elements being held in flexed position by engagement thereof with side wall portions of said apertures, whereby to provide frictional support for said electrode elements.

4. In electron gun structure, bracket means for supporting an electrode element within an electrically insulative hollow cylinder having relatively small apertures extending transversely through the cylinder walls, each said bracket means comprising a generally U-uhaped stud element of flexible and resilient material including a loop portion disposed in supporting engagement with said electrode element and leg portions engaged by side wall portions of said apertures and flexed toward one another, whereby to provide frictional supporting engagement for said electrode elements.

5. Bracket means according to claim 4 and further characterized in that said loop portions each comprise a section of hollow, generally spherical configuration, and said leg portions comprise cylindrical wall sections divergent from peripheral portions of said generally spherical loop portions.

6. Bracket means according to claim 5 and further being characterized in that a leg portion of at least one stud element is substantially longer than the other leg portion of the element and comprises a lead element adapted to serve as the terminal of an electrode element to which the stud element is attached.

7. Bracket means according to claim 4 and further characterized in that it has the general configuration of a generally cup shaped thimble having oppositely disposed lateral Wall portions removed, said bracket loop portion comprising the generally spherical end portion and the leg portions comprising the remaining generally cylindrical divergent side wall portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,148,023 Karolus Feb. 21, 1939 2,490,740 Nicoll Dec. 6, 1949 2,509,763 De Gier May 30, 1950 2,809,315 Townsend et a1. Oct. 8, 1957 

1. IN ELECTRON GUN STRUCTURE: AN ELECTRICALLY INSULATIVE HOLLOW CERAMIC CYLINDER HAVING RELATIVELY SMALL APERTURES EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THROUGH THE CYLINDER WALLS; ELECTRODE ELEMENTS DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CYLINDER; AND GENERALLY U-SHAPED RESILIENT STUD ELEMENTS INCLUDING LEG PORTIONS FLEXED TOWARD ONE ANOTHER, EXTENDING INTO SAID APERTURES, AND ENGAGED BY WALL PORTIONS OF THE LATTER, LOOP PORTIONS OF 